Wick



Jan. 26, 1 926,, 6

GEPPERT wxcxn, Fiied June 5. 1922 JOSEPH GEPPERT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

ful Improvements in Wicks,

may be used in blue-flame and other lamps,

Patented Jan. 26, 1 926. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GEPIPERT, OF, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MANTLE LAMP COM- PANY OF AMERICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

wIox.

. Application filed J'une 3, 1922. Serial No. 565,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Gnrrnn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi- -cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useof which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to wicks such as being to stiffen and size the that part of the wick which objects thereof wlck, especially is disposed above its connectiofi with a wick raiser.

Lamp wicks ordinarily consist of cottonfibers which are more or less thickly interwoven and must possess sufficient capillarity to replace with sufficient velocity the liquid fuel consumed at the burning end. All such wicks are subject to longitudinal elongation or compression, even though they may be disposed between and guided by suitable wick tubes.

The wick end, where the fuel is burned, should protrude from the wick tubes-uniformly so that like quantities of fuel will be burned at all points. If the wick exposure tubes.

becomes unumform by reason of its elongation, compression or distortion, such an ununiform wick results in an uneven flame, which will cause carbon deposits especially when used in blue-flame mantle lamps.

Many attempts have been made to stiffen these wicks, as by casein and similar substances, but in so far as I am aware, no

stiffened cotton or similar wick which poS- sesses the required degree of capillarity and otherwise fulfills the conditions of practical use, has heretofore been produced. In some instances the capillarity of the stiffened wick was found to be insufficient to afford an adequate supply of oil to the flame, while in other instances the stiffening material caused the wick to shrink and bind the wick tube, or was destroyed by the heat of the flame or renedered sticky and adherent to the-surface of one or the other of the wick The present invention, illustrated in the figure of the drawing, consists of a preferably cotton wick 1, in which preferably only the superficial fibers 2 are associated with end, it may be, penetrated by a substance or a cresol and for hardening wicks and at ful in the production of a wick-stiffening material thus produced in situ, are a phenol formaldehyde with which an alkali is associated, and the specific formula which I have advantageously employed consists of 300 c. c. phenol87%, or

cresol, 170 c. 0. formaldehyde solution, 7 50 c. c. water, and 22 gr. caustic soda.

In the preparation of these ingredients I find it advantageous to add the .phenol, Water and caustic soda together and heat to about 90 G. Then the formaldehyde solution is slowly added and the total brought to the boiling temperature. The mixture is then cooled and ready of the aforesaid process 1s an aqueous solution of a condensation product possessing alkalinity. The strength of the solution may be varied by the addition of water, and

its power of impregnation is largely dependent upon the temperature at which it is applied to 'the'fabric. If boiling, 1t readily for use; The product lmpregnates the entire fabric, but if ap- I plied cold, the impregnation will be superficial or shallow.

After applying the solution to a wick, the wick is put in an oven and heated at a temperature of about 150 degrees C. for 15 or 20 minutes, the chemicals being thereby set and hardened. The product thus produced, is not soluble in ordinary solvents or in hydrocarbon oil, and is therefore very useful the same time fixing their shape and size. The product does not become gummeous and sticky at any temperature within that to which it 1s subjected when in use, and does not serious- 1y reduce the capillarity of the wick. The. Y

solution is applied by a brush or by felt rolls. When in the claims I refer to a phenol, I mean also an equivalent cresol.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A Wick containing a chemically and physically-stable solid stiffening substance heat-treated in situ.

2. A Wick containing a superficially-disposed and physically and chemically-stable solid stiffening substance heat-treated in situ.

3. A Wick containing a superficially-disposed and chemically and physically-stable solid stiffening substance formed in situ, said solid being a chemical condensation product.

4. A Wick containing a chemical condensation product.

5. A Wick containing a heat-treated condensation product associated with its superficial fibers only.

6. A Wick containing the heat-treated product of an aqueous solution including a phenol, formaldehyde and an agent, said agent being acaustic alkali.

7. A Wick containing the heat-treated product of an aqueous solution including a phenol, formaldehyde and an alkali.

8. An unshrinkable Wick containing? a solid heat-treated stiffening substance formed in situ.

9. A Wick treated with an aqueous solution of a condensation product.

, 10. A tubular lamp Wick, having capillary threads, and including an adherent stiffening and binding substance for unifying threads of said Wick, said substance penetrating a desired portion of the Wick and be ing insoluble in Water and kerosene oil, and non-viscous at temperatures prevailing during the use of said Wick in a lamp burner.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.-

' JOSEPH GEPPFIR'IT. 

